Simmons broke a long public silence Monday, telling Today”s Savannah Guthrie during a phone interview “No one is holding me in my house as a hostage,” the 67-year-old fitness guru said, according to Entertainment Weekly. “You know, I do what I want to do, as I”ve always done, so people should sort of just believe what I have to say because, like, I”m Richard Simmons!”

Right. Someone needs to be.

Simmons hasn”t been seen in public in a couple years. The New York Daily News reported last weekend that his housekeeper, Teresa Reveles, is “an object of suspicion” regarding Simmons” not being seen in public for so long.

Simmons said the idea is “just very silly. Teresa Reveles has been with me for 30 years; it”s almost like we”re a married couple.”

“Richard, after 40 years of being in the spotlight, is now simply taking a break from the public eye and working behind the scenes to continue to help those millions of people worldwide in need of his assistance and on several projects to be announced soon,” Estey said.

Simmons told Guthrie he “wanted to be a little bit of a loner for a while,” and said he”s recovering from a knee injury from all that exercise.

I knew exercise wasn”t good for you.

“I just sort of want to take care of me,” he said. “I just really don”t want to do anything. I just don”t want to be traveling anymore. It certainly has taken its toll on me.”

Simmons said he”s thankful for all the concern.

“All the people that are worrying about me, I want to tell them that I love them with my whole heart and soul and that not to worry, Richard”s fine. You haven”t seen the last of me — I”ll come back, and I”ll come back strong.”